


standing in a timeless dream

by ItsAWonderfulLife



Series: Merlin Bingo 2021 [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Domesticity, Fluff, Hair Brushing, Hugs, M/M, Married Couple, Married Life, Merlin Bingo 1st Square, Sharing a Bed, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, literally nothing but fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:00:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28880628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsAWonderfulLife/pseuds/ItsAWonderfulLife
Summary: Some tooth-rotting domesticity. Merthur get ready for bed.Merlin Bingo - Square #1 'Space' interpreted very looselySquare G4
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merlin Bingo 2021 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2119725
Comments: 14
Kudos: 110
Collections: Merlin Bingo





	standing in a timeless dream

**Author's Note:**

> I do not, sadly, own BBC's Merlin or anything to do with it.  
> Created for the Merlin Bingo, Square #1 'Space'.

Merlin heaved a worn-out sigh as he slammed the door shut and collapsed against it.

“Well good evening to you too, my love,” Arthur grinned, preparing himself for bed. Merlin resisted the urge to pout about him not waiting for him. It was already many candle marks past dusk, and Merlin had only just escaped today's meeting on the new legislation on magic users.

“I don’t understand why you didn’t have to attend today,” he huffed, pulling his tunic over his head and continuing with a muffled, “you’re the King of Camelot!”

“I was needed elsewhere, there were trade matters to discuss.”

Merlin glared at his dishevelled husband, and made his way over to the water basin, reheating it instantly with a brief glance.

“Trade matters?” he queried, splashing his face with the comfortingly hot water.

“Yes,” Arthur nodded vehemently, balling up his own tunic and throwing it at Merlin, who side-stepped it with an expertise developed through countless nights of occupying each other’s space in this same domestic routine. “Leon was talking about sheep sales in the lower town. You would have dozed off in the first ten minutes.”

“You’re telling me you didn’t?” Merlin challenged, stepping carefully around Arthur with a gentle hand on his waist, and fluffing his pillows. He delighted in the faint blush his question provoked.

“Shut up,” Arthur grumbled, grabbing at Merlin’s free hand while his other turned down the cover at his side of the bed. “Merlin,” he protested, “you don’t have to do that. You’re not my servant anymore.”

Smiling warmly and pulling his other hand into a tender grip, Merlin sighed. “No, but I’m your husband.”

Arthur gave in, running an affectionate hand through his beloved’s nest of hair as he sidestepped him once more to turn down the cover and fluff the pillows on Arthur’s side of the bed.

“Do you-?” Merlin cut himself off, wondering if Arthur would be too tired for such frivolous romance after his meeting. His hand hovered aborted in the air, half-reaching for the comb.

“Yes,” Arthur mumbled quietly, “please.”

Merlin nodded his head towards the edge of the bed, and Arthur let himself flop down onto it. With the comb in hand, Merlin perched behind him, first running a hand along the taught lines of Arthur’s back, along his shoulders, up his neck and finally, through his shining crown of hair. The tension visibly drained from his husband, and, smiling contentedly, Merlin began to run the comb tenderly through his hair.

“Thank you,” Arthur breathed, several minutes later, seemingly much more relaxed. He gave Merlin a small but grateful smile of his own and drew the comb from his grasp. “Bedtime.”

Merlin quite agreed, and he pulled Arthur up from the bed into a soft kiss, allowing their mouths to perform their languid little dance for a few moments before he pulled away and moved around to his side of the bed.

“Can you put out the candles?” Arthur asked, climbing in next to him.

“Sure,” Merlin grinned, waving his hand to extinguish them, “but I’m leaving the fire going until it burns out. It’s cold tonight.”

“We could always warm each other up,” Arthur suggested, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Snorting, Merlin shook his head. “I’m tired tonight my love.”

Arthur nodded in understanding, instead choosing to thread their fingers together once more where they rested in the middle of the bed. After a few moments of comfortable silence, Merlin turned to face him. 

“It was boring without you,” he whispered, bringing Arthur’s hand to his mouth and pressing a delicate kiss to his palm. “I had to sit through hours of Geoffrey talking about- things. I can’t really remember most of it.”

“Merlin!” Arthur scolded, though there was no real heat behind the words. “You need to pay attention to these things if you’re to be Court Sorcerer!”

Merlin swallowed, still afraid to believe his luck, to believe that not only was this incredible man lying opposite him in love with him and willing to spend the rest of his life with him, but he was also changing entire laws for him.

“You’re everything,” he breathed, “you know that?”

Arthur blushed, a blush which was barely visible in the low light of the fire, but it was there. “Loathe as I am to argue with you, I think you’ll find that _you’re_ everything.”

Merlin snorted, and wriggled closer, throwing a lazy arm around Arthur’s waist, and placing his head over the reassuring thud of his heartbeat.

“Can you do the thing?” Arthur prodded, snuggling closer and letting his own arm come to rest on Merlin’s back.

“Anything for you,” Merlin responded, whispering a few quiet words until the canopy of their bed transformed into a brilliantly clear sky full of twinkling stars. Arthur gasped softly, his hold tightening slightly.

“This is my favourite room in the whole castle. It’s an entire space that’s just for us,” Merlin confessed into the growing darkness of the night.

Arthur brushed a gentle caress across his back, absentmindedly stroking in wide circles.

“It’s my favourite too.”

These words guided him peacefully off to sleep.


End file.
